September 23, 2018 Text: James 3:13 – 4:10
Dear Friends in Christ,
Are you a peacemaker? Our immediate reaction is “of course I am Pastor because this is what the Lord wants.” But then we let that question work a little deeper into our brains and what starts flooding out? Arguments with a spouse, fights with a friend, yelling between parent and child, and how about that passion you displayed when you got cut off in traffic?
The words of James are not easy for us to hear. God’s word, true to His promises, speaks to all of us here this morning. Is there hope in a world where confrontation is a way of life from the top on down? Can the Christian make a difference when the world is condemning every little thing on social media, taking to task the humble and exhorting the proud? This world is an enemy of God and the challenges are numerous. Let’s focus on one.
“PEACEMAKERS – SOW WHAT?”
The Word of God gives us a wonderful picture of what peace is. Verse 18 of our text, “And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
Never underestimate the power of a seed. We try hard to sow seeds of peace. We want to find inner peace within ourselves and outer peace around us in our families, communities, churches. We try to be like Jesus in forgiving our neighbors and lunching with sinners. We try to make peace in our families – “can’t we sit down and discuss this?” We try to make peace in our communities – “can’t we all just get along?” How many summits have been convened with countries longing for peace?
Then the push and shove of the world gets in our face. We get worked over and worn out. In our frustration we are going to let somebody have it. It leaves us vulnerable to temptation, selfish ambition, disorder. We try all the tricks the world has to offer. Yet instead of sowing seeds of peace we are left with weeds and stones.
Weeds choke our peacemaking efforts. They are pulled out and thrown into the fire. Stones of legalism, oppression, and finally death are stacked upon one another until they imprison us. All of this happens because we leave out the one needed – Jesus.
Jesus is the one and only way to the harvest of righteousness. The heavenly Father planted his Seed into the ground – the grave. God sent His one and only Son into this quarreling, fighting world to suffer for these sins of the world. He came to forgive you when you want to get in the last word. He came to redeem you when you tell somebody off without cause. He came to lift you up from the depths of the world’s criticism party. He came to wipe clean the seeds of discord you have sown.
Jesus died and was placed into the ground, in order to be raised, just as promised, to a new life. That which sprouted from the ground was forgiveness and peace, new life, eternal life.
We have been planted (buried) with Christ in Baptism. We have been sown in the peace of Christ. Raised to new life through water and the Word. Nurtured and strengthened in Word and Sacrament. Now we are able to produce a harvest of righteousness.
Now, like Jesus, we are peacemakers, filled with the Holy Spirit. We don’t respond to the ridiculous tweet because we add nothing to the discourse. We don’t take out a job frustration on a spouse or child. We hold our tongue because many times the less we say the better. We realize it is a tough, punishing world and if the Christian doesn’t make a change, who will?
Sow what? Sowing seeds of consideration, kindness, submission, good fruit, impartiality and sincerity. Isn’t this the world you want to live in? Help us Lord in our peacemaking duties as we live out our faith in You.
Amen.